Gose Powers Bisons Past Hens

They scored all of their runs in the second inning of a 7-5 victory over the Toledo Mud Hens Monday afternoon at Fifth Third Field, earning a four-game series split. All nine position players contributed a hit to the Herd's 14-hit attack.

The big frame was just three shy of tying the Herd's season-high for runs in an inning, 10, which is also the team's modern era record. Buffalo achieved the feat in the seventh inning of a 27-9 win against Syracuse April 18.

After Toledo starter John Link pitched a quick 1-2-3 first, the second was far from the same. The first eight Bisons to bat in the frame recorded hits, prompting a call to the bullpen before Link could even record an out.

Luis Jimenez and Andy LaRoche led things off with singles. Clint Robinson's double just in fair territory off the top of the left-field wall started the scoring, plating Jimenez. Ryan Goins, who had a 3-for-4 day, continued the hot start with a grounder to right field for a two-run single.

A Munenori Kawasaki single between shortstop and third base brought in Goins for a 4-0 lead and came after Mike Nickeas blooped a single into right. Kevin Pillar continued the hit parade, singling to load the bases.

The eighth consecutive hit came courtesy of Anthony Gose, who put the exclamation point on the inning. He hit a bases-clearing triple to the gap in right-center to round out the frame's scoring and end Link's outing.

Reliever Robbie Weinhardt came in and stopped the bleeding, retiring the next three Bisons to prevent Gose from crossing the plate. Buffalo sent 11 to the plate in the second and Moises Sierra was the lone Bison not to get a hit during the barrage.

Gose's performance wasn't only measured by his big hit in the second. He registered another triple, a grounder down the third-base line and into the left field corner, in the fourth and added a single in the sixth for as three-hit day.

His defense was on par with a potent offensive showing, too.

The Mud Hens made a valiant comeback attempt, scoring a pair of runs in the seventh and eighth innings to cut the deficit to 7-5. They made a push to tie the game in the ninth, but that was stymied by Gose's rocket arm.

Argenis Diaz led off the bottom-half of the ninth with a single and Nick Castellanos drew a two-out walk. Danny Dorn appeared to have brought the game to within one on a single to right when Diaz attempted to score from second. But Gose fielded the ball and fired a rope to the plate to get Diaz out by multiple steps.

The Bisons will conclude their eight-game road trip with a four-game series against the Columbus Clippers. The first game will be Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. and the finale is slated for Friday.